March 27, 2013

Finding Meaning

For thousands of years people have been exploring the meaning of literally everything. “What does it mean?” has to rank as one of the most frequently asked questions. Thousands of books have been written on the subject, whole religions created, movies made, conferences held, all to explore what things mean.

Finally the question has been answered.

The answer to the question: What does it mean? is . . . nothing. That’s right, there is no meaning . . . of anything.

Consider the planet Earth, the only planet with which we are intimately acquainted. If, somehow . . . even magically, all of the human beings on the planet were to disappear, what would happen to all “meanings” currently proposed? They would vanish, is what. There would be life, the whole planet is teeming with it, so there would be death. There would be consciousness and awareness and sensation. But there would be no meanings.

We create “meanings” and as such they are fictitious. So, searching for them is a fool’s errand. If you want one, make it up. Yours is no less valid than anyone else’s . . . or more valid. And if you want to know what your meaning means . . . well, now you know.

This has been brought to you as a public service message.

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I simple message that rings so very true. Regretful to see so many people capable of such wonder wasting their lives desperately pursuing something (unattainable) all the while ignoring the million little meaningful wonders smashing into them every day.

There is this little tool I use from time to time called a gratitude rock. I place it in my pocket and every time I touch it I take a moment to be grateful for all of the good things in my life, of which there are many. I still rail against virtual demons (religious idiocacy, greed and corruption, political hypocracy, etc.) but by and large life is good, so why should not all of us have access to this general goodness. We are yoked to ridiculous searches for meaning, bizarre moral codes, bizarre food restrictions, clothing restrictions, etc. all because they mean something and that gets in between us and actually feeling the joy of being alive.

Sometimes I wish Elric of Melnibone were real and would indeed take out all of the gods, but I expect then we would just create a new parcel of them.

Claudia and I share a little secret. We tell each other to not let our neighbors know how truely happy we are because they will kill us. It is a joke, but when people shut themselves off from the true spirit of life, they do bizarre things, often hateful.

The sole purpose of living is just that! Living. If we aren’t actually living and enjoying life then I see no point. Of course philosophically one could argue that it is meaningless. That regardless of what happens today the world keeps turning. I’ll bite. Nevertheless, if the sky decides not to fall any time soon it would be a smart idea to at least pretend that what is happening isn’t meaningless. Great post! Right up our alley!!

Oh, he’s real, it just doesn’t mean anything that he exists. So, the thoughts that “rabbits don’t get cancer” and “rabbits don’t like smoke” are in the same category as trying to figure out how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

By the way, is he related to the Flying Spaghetti Monster? I noticed there was a certain resemblance but I didn’t know what it meant.